Been a few years. Anything new to be aware of?

[nighttowll]

Hi, I haven't been to Universal since right before the pandemic. I used to have an annual pass and went all the time. I know most of the tips of tricks. I'm just wondering if there is anything new to make note of. New procedures, policies, anything that might be useful to know has changed.

For instance, things like can you still enter and exit by the "hidden" Blueman Group exit? Do they still let you skip the line if you are riding stationary on the Minion Ride? Any restaurants besides Mythos and the Chocolate Factory that actually need reservations? Mears still the easist way to get to and from the airport?

Really appreciate any other tips or advice about things that may have changed.

Also, how have the crowds been this fall? I keep seeing stuff in the news about Disney attendance down but wasn't sure if Universal was also down or not. We are only going to have 2 days, and the friend I am going with has never been before, so I'm a little concerned with wait times. Orlandoinformer is showing moderate crowds. Touringplans was always my go to in the past as it always seemed the most accurate, but it's got my dates blocked out right now where I can't see them without paying. I'm not renewing with them just to see crowds for a quick 2 day trip. Right now, I m assuming we will need EP and early entry and plan on staying at Portofino or Hard Rock. If we don't need them, I may do Aventura or Cabana Bay instead as AP rates for those are the lowest.

We will be going the 12th and 13th of November.

Thanks

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I like to look at the prices Universal is charging for EP to gauge expected crowds.

Usually Uber/Lyft is the cheapest/easiest/fastest way to & from the airport.

Cowfish may also need reservations, and Bigfire. Especially for prime dinner times. Actually, I would make a reservation for almost any table service if you want to eat right around park closing time.

 

[DL1WDW2]

You will probably find crowds since that Veterans Day Holiday



Day DayHoliday weekend

 

[nighttowll]

You will probably find crowds since that Veterans Day Holiday



Day DayHoliday weekend

Thanks for pointing that out. Since I'm going for work the 8th through 11th, and don't have off, I didn't even realize it was a holiday weekend. That explains so much. I was wondering why this random weekend in November was supposed to be so crowded. There's usually a slump between the end of Horror Nights / fall break and Thanksgiving. At least there used to be.

 

[nighttowll]

EP is $215 and $185, so I'm expecting crowds. Not ridiculous levels or anything, but enough that there will be waits.

I am so torn on what to do. I'm going with a co-worker who has never gone before and who I am having trouble getting any feedback out of as far as what she is expecting or wants to do.

I have narrowed it down to these two options:

1) PB 2 queen room at AP rate for Sunday and Monday nights, going to parks Sunday and Monday

or

2) Cabana Bay Family Suite at AP rate for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday nights, going to the parks Sunday and Monday

Part of me would love to stay at PB. It would be great to have the EP passes, and for my friend's first visit to be at one of the nicer resorts. PB is also my favorite of the deluxe resorts. However, it is under construction, the farthest walk, and it will be too cold for the pool which is my favorite part of the hotel. Plus, we won't have any time to spend there anyway since the trip is so short. I'm also worried that we are going to loose a lot of valuable park time Sunday morning transferring from our offsite hotel to PB, especially since my friend is not a morning person. We'd also need to deal with the hassle of storing luggage and all that, but there's nothing reasonably priced for Saturday night available.

CB on the other hand, we could check into Saturday night. One of our co-workers will have a car and could drop us off after our company dinner on Saturday night, so that would make getting to Universal easy. We'd have time to pick up tickets and get settled before setting off to the parks Sunday morning. It would also give us a microwave and fridge which would be nice, and we would also have dedicated work space separate from the beds which I think may be useful as this trip is primarily a work trip. I also don't think the walk is that much shorter than PB, and my friend might be interested in checking out the hotel to bring her kids back to stay there in the future, but staying at CB means no EP which I think we may need.

I wish Hard Rock was still available. It was ridiculously high, but I had decided for the convenience of the location, I would just splurge and do it. Plus, I love the Kitchen. I’m having a hard time making the same justification for PB with it being under construction and so far away since the only reason to stay on property was for the close proximity and EP. Otherwise, we could stay for free at the hotel the company set up for us off property.

If it was only me, I’d do CB, and not worry about lines. I’ve seen everything a million times except the new Jurassic and Minion rides, and I know how to do the parks without EP (rope drop, single rider lines, which rides to hit first in what order, low crowd activities, Easter eggs to take in, etc). I’m worried, though, that my friend who isn’t a morning person is going to have a very different idea of how to tour the parks, and we are going to end up there in the middle of the day, in heavy crowds, with long lines, and we won’t see anything. This is my first real trip in years, I’d like it not to be a disaster.

I’ve stayed at all the resorts multiple times except Aventura, so I’m fairly aware of their differences and proximity to the parks and Citywalk. Oh, and that would be Option 3) Aventura is about the same price as CB, but I don’t see any real advantage to staying there except it being slightly closer to the water taxi at Sapphire Falls, smaller so less walking, and the views from the rooftop bar, but I’m pretty sure we could just walk over and enjoy the bar if we want one night.

Any thoughts?

 

[DL1WDW2]

Does sound like you “ know “ the basics…
I guess I would choose Cabana Bay for the extra space since it will include “ work” .
Also this is basically an introductory visit for your friend that has no specific reason to expect more than the basics and will probably not be able to return with family and afford the luxury resort. So why sell her on the luxury?
I kinda made that mistake with my family Spoiling them on that first visit has only added to reality/kinda disappointing . We can joke about it now but I still let it bother me . I wish I could splurge them every visit but not going to happen nowadays!
Let us know how it works out for you .

 

[nighttowll]

Does sound like you “ know “ the basics…
I guess I would choose Cabana Bay for the extra space since it will include “ work” .
Also this is basically an introductory visit for your friend that has no specific reason to expect more than the basics and will probably not be able to return with family and afford the luxury resort. So why sell her on the luxury?
I kinda made that mistake with my family Spoiling them on that first visit has only added to reality/kinda disappointing . We can joke about it now but I still let it bother me . I wish I could splurge them every visit but not going to happen nowadays!
Let us know how it works out for you .

Yeah, I’m definitely spoiled. We use to have family who worked at Loews, so we'd get to go and stay for almost nothing. It was somewhere around $50 with tax a night that we used to pay. Big difference from the $500+ a night it is now.

As far as my co-worker / friend, I've gotten the impression that she usually travels in style and wouldn't think much about splurging to stay at the deluxe resorts in the future. There's also been some discussion about simply staying in the company provided hotel for free if we are doing a value hotel, but she's willing to pay to stay somewhere nicer, especially if there is a good enough reason to move hotels, like EP.

When I first pitched the idea to her of staying on property, I had planned on HRH. I sold her on the idea of the close proximity and need for EP, but it took forever for her to let me know if that was ok, and now there aren’t any AP rate rooms left.

I am not staying in the company hotel one day longer than needed. The reviews for it are pretty bad, and I don’t want to deal with arranging transportation back and forth. Part of what I love about Universal is the ease of coming and going from the hotels to the parks on my schedule. The walking path is so peaceful, the boat ride is lovely, and sending packages and charging to your room key so convenient.

I may try to talk my boss into moving all of us to Universal for the last half of the trip. The prices for CB and Aventura are comparable to the offsite hotel we currently have, and my boss is not happy with the hotel we have either. I think he would appreciate the rooftop bar at Aventura and the convenience of Citywalk, so maybe I can convince him to switch. We’d be stuck waiting in lines without EP, but at least we wouldn’t be out any money for the hotel if the company picks up the tab, and we’d still be onsite which is my primary goal. I hate taking Ubers and hotel shuttles.

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

I would pick PB in a heartbeat. Just as an anecdotal example, I went to Universal Hollywood this summer and stayed onsite and paid extra for EP and EE to Marioland in advance. We got to the park a half hour before EE and were at the front of the pack to be walked back to Super Mario Land. By 4pm, we had ridden every single ride in the park including Mario Kart twice, done all the Mario games, and ate at Toadstool Cafe. My friend showed up at around 10am and didn’t have EP. She rode Mario Kart once and Jurassic World once. That was it. I felt terrible for her.

This is Orlando not Hollywood but the same principle applies. Showing up late in the day and not having EP is a recipe for misery unless you just want to shop and watch shows. And Portofino is not a far walk at all, especially in November when the weather should be pleasant.

 

[nighttowll]

Well, we are staying at Aventura. Honestly, last place I thought, and not where I would pick, but I spoke with my boss and our whole company is going to stay there. It's actually less than the original hotel the company picked out and nicer. I'm good with this. I think it will be fun. It's the only onsite hotel I haven't stayed in yet.

And, I finally got a chance to have a real conversation with my co-worker, and she decided to get a season pass, so we are just going to do whatever we have time for, and we will go back another time for a longer trip either with EP or during an off time with low crowds. Super relieved. Despite not being a morning person, she's agreed to do rope drop, and then we will probably leave the parks after lunch. I think we are going to do some resport hopping. She wants me to show her around, so she can get an idea for future trips. I'll probably show her some of the lesser known Easter eggs like the Berlin wall (assuming its still there) and stuff like that. I think it will be fun.

I'm still open to responses to my original question. Wondering what if anything has changed in the last few years. Thanks.